In the continuing onslaught of so-called alkaline antioxidant waters, ionized waters, and the devices used to manufacture them, Juuva Energy Cup appears to be a new-comer to this one would think, saturated market of such devices and sham miracle cure-alls. For a good description of so-called “microwater” and “reduced water,” have a look at this document containing a lot of true basic chemistry as well aswater magic; the claims within that document may be addressed in a further post to this blog.

To a certain extent, this will be follow up to information offered discussed previously in this blog.

Winston Churchill once stated that “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

Science it seems, agrees with Churchill. For years studies (link to a review article citing numerous studies) have suggested that a negative attitude is associated with increased risks of heart disease, cancer, and overall mortality. The association between attitude and an increase in these pathologies is most probably a consequence of an increased inflammatory response resulting from elevated levels of so-called “inflammatory molecules.” Though essential in fighting off disease, a chronically elevated inflammatory responses and elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines in the absence of illness or injury, correlates with negative health outcomes, at least in part, by increasing levels of proteins such as C-reactive protein (CRP), a protein that circulates in the blood and increases in response to inflammation. Additionally, elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines themselves have been implicated in the onset and progression of chronic diseases such as diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular disease.

I’ve owned several pit bulls over a period of more than 20 years, one of whom was a certified therapy dog, visiting nursing homes, veterans, and so-called “at-risk youth” in her prime, and all of whom were/are great dogs. Not only have I owned pit bulls, but have further been involved with pit bull rescue and “rehabbing” abused pit bulls in an effort to rehome them.

I think that these bona fides make me more than qualified to comment on pit bulls, their nature, and the challenges of owning a pit bull.

Each of us has moments or days in our lives that because of their circumstances are unforgettable. For most of us over the age of about 25, 9/11 was one such day; 9/11 was a day that collectively many of us will never forget. Other unforgettable days are more personal. For example, I’ll never forget the day that my father passed away unexpectedly of a heart attack at age 59. That was more than a two years ago now and periodic waves of disbelief still wash over me regarding my father’s passing. Another such day that I’ll never forget is the day of the assassination attempt on President Reagan.

I was in fourth grade at the time, and we were headed back to class from a newly constructed playground on campus when one of my fellow students reported that “The President got shot!” I recall walking up the stairs to my classroom wondering about the President: Had he been badly injured? Would he survive? As time went on we learned that President Reagan’s injuries were not life-threatening, but that his Assistant and White House Press Secretary, James Brady, was badly injured and might not survive.

Though I was neither a Republican nor particularly religious at that time in my life, I recall being pre-occupied with Mr Brady and praying that he would be okay; that he would not only survive, but would make a full recovery. James Brady’s story held my attention for years after the assassination attempt.

As it turns out, while Mr. Brady was nearly killed and became permanently disabled as a consequence of the 1981 shooting, he did survive.

Brady went on to found The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, a non-profit organization named for Mr. Brady, who following the shooting, became an ardent supporter of gun control. The stated mission of the Brady Campaign is “to reduce gun violence…” via “sensible gun laws, regulations, and public policies through grassroots activism, electing public officials who support gun laws, and increasing public awareness of gun violence.”

Rubin was a rescue. Having been seized at a dogfight when he was less than two years old, his history was highly questionable. A good deal of previous experience with abused dogs, and more specifically, a background in working with pit bulls led me to believe that Rubin still could make a good pet. Given that I was in college at the time, unmarried, no children, etc. Rubin, despite having had a questionable history, was a good choice for a dog. He was loving from the get go, but as might be expected with pit bulls in general, and a pit bull that’s actually been involved with fighting on any level, he exhibited a good deal of dog aggression. As days turned to weeks, months, and eventually years, time at the dog park, time with friends dogs, and a good deal of discipline turned Rubin into a reasonably stable dog, great with people, okay with other dogs, but probably never be trusted entirely around other dogs.

And he never was.

As life went on, college turned into grad school, I married, had children, etc. Rubin was there for all of this… really through every experience of my adult life, and given this as well as his history, there is no doubt that he was my favorite pet of all time.

Eventually, we moved to a dead end road in the woods, lots of space, no neighbors… a place where the kids and dogs could run freely.

This was a different environment and living situation for Rubin. Whereas in college, he saw many different people all the time –people were constantly in and out of my college residences– and interacted with many people, people rarely come to the end of my road. What became normal for Rubin after a number of years was to not see people near my home. I suppose that over time, he interpreted this to mean that people were not supposed to be at the end of my road.

Though great with my young children, Rubin gradually became less and less reliable around strangers. It was his opinion that our home was ours exclusively, and that others didn’t belong there. What made the situation worse is that he reacted badly to people being frightened of him. The difficulty here is that people are naturally inclined to be frightened of 80 lb pit bulls that are barking and growling at them.